A Passport is one of the necessary documents for international travel purposes, be it to a visa-free country or to a nation offering visa on arrival. In order to obtain a passport, a person is required to present K
a definitive set of other documents which can certify the proof of date of birth, residential address and other relevant documents related to an individual’s identity.
a definitive set of other documents which can certify the proof of date of birth, residential address and other relevant documents related to an individual’s identity.
The government has assigned the procedural work of verifying an individual’s identity and issuing a passport to Passport Seva Kendra which was earlier handled by designated Passport Offices of respective geographical regions.
What is Passport Seva Camp or mobile PSK?
Addressing the huge number of passport applicants, there is a facility of mobile Passport Seva Kendra or Passport Seva Camp. A Passport Seva Camp is typically a mobile van or temporary PSK deployed in various areas situated far from the regular (Passport Seva Kendras) PSKs such as identified cities/towns and university campuses. The people willing to apply for a passport in the remote areas and other regions notified by the government visit Passport Seva Camps to submit their passport applications.
According to Passport Seva Kendra directives, each Passport Seva Camp will have Citizen Service Executive(s), Verification Officer(s), Granting Officer(s), consoles (with Internet facility) and various devices required for application data entry processing such as camera, document printer/scanner and fingerprint capture device.
Facilities available at Passport Seva Camps or mobile PSKs
At Passport Seva Camps or mobile PSKs, a person can apply for a fresh passport or for the re-issuance of a passport under the normal scheme (except for loss or damage). As per the present guidelines by the PSK, the facility of tatkaal, police clearance certificate (PCC) and other related applications are not entertained at the Passport Seva Camps.
Before visiting the Passport Seva Camp of the area, a person is required to submit a passport application form online via Passport Seva Kendra portal. You need to submit the application form online and then print the online Application Reference Number (ARN) receipt, which must be carried along while visiting a Passport Seva Camp for passport application submission.
Other than this, a person is not eligible to apply for background verification for GEP passport application. Global Entry Program (GEP) is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveller Program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States through dedicated lanes and kiosks for which Indian citizens are eligible.
Documents required for applying for a passport via Passport Seva Camp
A person is required to carry the online Application Reference Number (ARN) receipt printed from Passport Seva Portal (website), SBI payment receipt, wherever applicable, the original documents which were submitted while filling the online application form along with self-attested (signed) photocopies and two recent passport size coloured photographs (4.5 cm length x 3.5 cm width) with white background.
Other than these, old/existing passport booklet is needed to be carried to the Passport Seva Camp if a person is applying for the re-issue of passport, the old passport booklet will be cancelled by the Verification Officer at Passport Seva Camp and will be returned to the applicant after accepting the application.
Key things to note before visiting Passport Seva Camp
A person is required to take an appointment before visiting the Passport Seva Camp, submit the online passport application via Passport Seva Kendra portal and pay the applicable fee. The information with regard to the Passport Seva Camp will be available on the home page of the Passport Seva Kendra website.
Online Payment has been made mandatory for booking appointments at Passport Seva Camp. A person can use a credit/debit card (MasterCard and Visa), internet banking (State Bank of India (SBI) and associate banks and SBI challan to pay the passport application fee online at the Passport Seva Kendra portal.
A manually filled passport application form (with a pen) will not be accepted at Passport Seva Camp. A person is mandatorily required to submit the duly-filled passport application form via Passport Seva Kendra online portal, pay the application fee and book the appointment before visiting the Passport Seva Camp.
